Knee Injuries After a Car Crash in Chicago: Common Treatments and When to Seek Legal Help

Knee injuries are common after a car crash, as the impact can force your knees to strike the against the interior of the vehicle, causing them to move in awkward ways while absorbing tremendous impact. While you may not feel much pain or be aware of significant damage right after the crash, this is often the result of adrenalin masking the pain. Once the shock begins to wear off hours or days later, what started off as minor knee discomfort may develop into serious pain and reduced mobility.

At Cooney & Conway, our Chicago-based attorneys are very familiar with the types of knee injuries that often result from car crashes. We are ready to get to work to connect you with orthopedic knee specialists throughout Chicago. When we represent you, we guide you throughout the legal process, building a compelling case on your behalf.

Not sure if you have a case? We offer a free consultation to learn more about your situation, answer your questions, and discuss potential legal options.

Call to Request Your FREE Case Review Today. (800) 322-5573

How Do I Know If My Knee Pain After a Chicago Car Crash Is Serious?

In addition to increasing pain, serious knee injuries produce other key warning signs indicating you need to seek immediate medical attention. These symptoms are not likely to go away on their own. More often than not, knee injuries worsen and may even lead to permanent damage without treatment.

Red flag symptoms that you may have a serious knee injury include:

• Inability to Bear Weight: You cannot put weight on your leg or walk normally after the accident.
• Visible Deformity: Your knee appears twisted, bent at an odd angle, or looks different from your other knee.
• Severe Swelling and Redness: Your knee swells rapidly and feels tight or hot to the touch.
• Locked Knee: Your knee feels stuck in one position and will not bend or straighten.
• Grinding Sensation: You hear or feel grinding, popping, or clicking sounds when moving your knee.
• Numbness or Tingling: You experience loss of feeling in your knee, leg, or foot area.

When to Seek Medical Treatment for Your Knee Injury

Your health must be your first priority after any car accident, and until you are examined, you do not know whether you may have a serious knee injury or other internal damage. Waiting to seek treatment can result in a less optimal outcome or lead to permanent complications or damage.

Even minor knee pain can be an indication of serious internal damage that worsens without treatment. Chicago emergency rooms are best equipped to provide immediate evaluation and pain relief around-the-clock. Urgent care centers are a good second choice, but they are not always open and may not always have the equipment or specialists on hand to examine you.

In addition to protecting your health, prompt medical treatment also strengthens your personal injury claim significantly. To start with, your ER visit will be documented in your medical records, along with the cause of your injury. This documentation helps to link your knee injury to the crash that caused it.

Insurance companies are quick to catch when crash victims wait to seek medical care. They use this evidence to argue that your injuries are either not as bad as you say – or you would have sought medical treatment sooner – or they happened somewhere else.

As you can see, your medical documentation becomes crucial evidence when your attorney negotiates your settlement or presents your case in court. While most cases settle out of court, our Chicago-based car accident lawyers at Cooney & Conway are always prepared to represent you.

What Knee Injuries Are Most Common in Car Accidents?

Car crashes cause predictable knee injury patterns based on how your body moves during impact. Your knees strike the dashboard, get twisted during side collisions, or hyperextend when you brace for impact. These forces damage specific structures within your knee joint.

Dashboard Knee: Torn ACL and Meniscus Injuries

Dashboard impacts cause your knee to bend backward unnaturally. This hyperextension tears your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which stabilizes your knee joint. The meniscus, a cushioning cartilage in your knee, often tears simultaneously. Medical professionals call this injury pattern “Dashboard Knee” because it occurs so frequently in car accidents. These injuries require surgical repair and months of physical therapy.

Fractured Kneecaps and Dislocated Joints

Direct impact with the dashboard or steering column can fracture your kneecap (patella). The kneecap may crack, shatter into pieces, or dislocate completely from its normal position. These injuries are extremely painful and often require surgical intervention. Recovery involves extended immobilization and gradual rehabilitation to restore normal function.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Tears

PCL tears occur when your knee is bent and force strikes the front of your shin. This pushes your shin bone backward relative to your thigh bone. PCL injuries are less common than ACL tears but equally serious. They often happen when your knee hits the dashboard while your foot remains planted on the brake pedal.

Soft Tissue Damage and Ligament Strain

Car accidents stretch and tear the ligaments that hold your knee together. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) commonly sustain damage during side-impact collisions. Soft tissue injuries may seem minor initially but can cause chronic pain and instability. These injuries often require extensive physical therapy and may never fully heal to pre-accident strength.

Cartilage Damage and Bone Bruises

The articular cartilage that cushions your knee joint can be scraped or torn during impact. Deep bone bruises occur when the bone tissue itself becomes damaged. These injuries are particularly troublesome because cartilage has limited ability to heal. Many patients develop arthritis years after their accident due to cartilage damage.

Effective Treatments for Car Crash Knee Injuries

The treatment recommended for your knee injury depends on many factors, including what part of your knee was injured and how severe that injury is. Unless you have an injury that requires immediate surgery to aid your recovery, orthopedic knee specialists in Chicago will likely begin with conservative treatment first. It can take weeks to months, or even longer for knee injuries to fully heal. Some knee injuries may leave victims more vulnerable to secondary complications, like the arthritis.

Effective treatment for knee injuries often includes:

• Rest and Immobilization: Braces, crutches, or complete rest allow damaged tissues to begin healing naturally.
• Physical Therapy: Targeted exercises restore strength, flexibility, and range of motion to your injured knee.
• Ongoing Pain Management: Long-term treatment plans for chronic pain that persists after initial healing.
• Anti-Inflammatory Medications: Prescription and over-the-counter medications reduce swelling and manage pain.
• Corticosteroid Injections: Direct injections into the knee joint provide temporary pain relief and reduce inflammation.
• Arthroscopic Surgery: Minimally invasive surgery repairs torn ligaments, removes damaged cartilage, or cleans out debris.
• Reconstructive Surgery: Chicago trauma centers, like Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rush University Medical Center, are frequently recommended for major surgical procedures to rebuild torn ACLs, repair fractures, or replace damaged knee components.

How Much Will My Knee Injury Treatment Cost in Chicago?

Knee injury treatment costs vary dramatically based on the severity of your injury and the type of care required. Minor knee injuries may only require a few physical therapy sessions costing several hundred dollars. Complex injuries requiring surgery, extended rehabilitation, and ongoing pain management can reach tens of thousands of dollars. Chicago medical facilities charge different rates, with major hospitals like Northwestern Memorial and Rush University Medical Center typically having higher costs than outpatient clinics.

The at-fault driver’s insurance company must cover all reasonable medical expenses related to your knee injury. Compensation you may be able to recover for your knee injury includes:

• Emergency room visits
• Diagnostic tests
• Surgery
• Physical therapy
• Medications
• Medical equipment like braces or crutches

You may also be eligible to recover compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, and future medical expenses if your knee injury causes permanent damage. These additional damages often exceed your actual medical bills significantly.

Why Knee Injury Claims May Result in Higher Settlement Values

Knee injuries often result in higher settlement values because they significantly impact your daily life and work capacity. Your knees bear your body weight and enable basic activities like walking, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of vehicles. When knee injuries limit these fundamental movements, insurance companies must account for the substantial disruption to your normal activities. Many knee injury victims cannot return to physically demanding jobs or recreational activities they enjoyed before their accident.

Knee injuries frequently require ongoing medical treatment that extends far beyond initial healing. Physical therapy may continue for months or years after surgery. Some patients need additional surgeries, joint replacements, or pain management treatments throughout their lifetime. Insurance companies must factor these future medical expenses into settlement calculations. The potential for developing arthritis or other degenerative conditions years later also increases settlement values.

Illinois Courts Recognize the Long-Term Impact of Knee Injuries

Illinois courts recognize that knee injuries cause both physical limitations and emotional distress. Chronic pain, mobility restrictions, and the inability to participate in favorite activities create significant impact to your daily quality of life.

Insurance adjusters, and juries if your case ends up in court, understand the impact when victims can no longer participate the same way in their life, enjoying activities they used to do. Suddenly being unable to play sports, exercise, or perform your job can cause you to suffer significant pain and suffering (called non-economic damages) that deserve compensation beyond medical bills alone.

Need Legal Help After a Chicago Car Crash? Contact Cooney & Conway Today

At Cooney & Conway, our team of knowledgeable personal injury attorneys understand the medical complexities of knee injuries and how they affect our clients’ lives. We work with orthopedic specialists and economic analysts to build comprehensive cases that account for your current and future damages. Our legal team has successfully represented countless Chicago crash victims, including those with serious knee injuries.

Don’t let insurance companies pay you off with a low-ball settlement offer for your knee injury. Contact our trusted law firm today for a free consultation to discuss your case.

Worried about cost? We charge no upfront fees or out-of-pocket costs. We only get paid if you do.

Call the Trusted Law Firm of Cooney & Conway Today. (800) 322-5573